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Inception and Influences
Before 1920, there was no domestic film industry in Korea. Instead, European and American films were played in Korean theaters. The first Korean movie theater opened in 1903 while the more popular Dasungsa Theater opened in 1907 in Seoul. The owner of Dasungsa Theater was not content with just showing international films, he also wanted to help foster a movie industry at home. He is credited with financing the creation of the first domestic Korean film, Loyal Revenge. For a while, Korean cinema consisted only of kino dramas and documentaries. But in 1922, the popular traditional Korean story called Chunhyang ''became Korea's first feature film. From then on, many more traditional stories were filmed and translated into actual movies. Early Korean cinema was heavily influenced by their colonial overlords, the Japanese. In fact, up until World War II, all the Korean film studios were owned by the Japanese. This meant that there was extreme censorship and many restrictions on what could be shown on screen. The Japanese also took advantage of their hold on the Korean cinema industry to create propaganda films that supported the colonial relationship between Korea and Japan. Japan's censorship was so severe, that talented Korean filmmakers moved to other countries like China, to continue their pursuit of cinematography. After World War II, Korea was no longer a Japanese colonial possession and that meant more authentic stories about Korean culture could be translated into film. One of the major themes during this time was liberty and freedom from their colonial masters. Jeon Chang-keun's ''Hurrah for Freedom, is a love story that is centered around Korean resistance fighters and their struggle against the Japanese military. This iconic film was released in 1946, soon after Korea's independence. The division of Korea has played a significant role in influencing the film industry in both countries. Though North and South Korea share a great deal of history prior to the Cold War, their cultures and ideologies have drastically diverged since then. After the split, South Korea has become an integral part of the international community. They participate in trade, diplomacy, and therefore share their cinema with the rest of the world. Conversely, North Korea has presented itself as a rogue state and has proven themselves unwilling to interact diplomatically with the rest of the international community. Therefore, very little is known about North Korean film other than the fact that it's heavily censored, is subject to very strict guidelines, and is often times government sponsored propaganda. For the purpose of analyzing the influences behind Korean film and its movements we will be focusing primarily on South Korean film. Following the division of Korea along the 38th parallel, South Korea was ruled over by a military dictatorship. Under this dictatorship, Korean film was still subject to many boundaries and harsh censorship laws. It wasn't until the June Democracy Movement that one of the most pivotal movements in Korean film came to be. The Korean New Wave Movement came from a new generation of Korean filmmakers who sought to reconnect the relationship between cinema and their own society by using the newly available materials and topics made possible by democratization. Prior to this movement Korean film was seriously hampered by massive government control over the film industry. All though absurd laws and censorship was put into place for Korean filmmakers, American film companies had virtually free access to the film industry. Korean filmmakers, participants of the Anti-American movement, and Korean intellectuals protested and boycotted American films. Thanks to the democracy movement, stories and topics could be covered that previously couldn't have been under the former regime. Korean filmmakers focused on sensitive topics such as the conflict between the left and right wing supporters before and after the war. These often included heart breaking stories of families being torn apart by the 38th parallel. They also explored the many changes within Korean society that has occurred due to all of the political instability and tumultuous conditions. Director Park Kwang-su is a highly regarded Korean filmmaker who created several important Korean films, one of which is titled Chilsu and Mansu. In this film, Park Kwang-su sheds light on the many frustrations and setbacks often encountered by Korea's lower-middle class. One of the major themes covered in this film is the shortcomings of democracy. Despite being 'free' people are often constrained by money, political affiliations, and other social circumstances that are out of their control. The film is a striking commentary about Korean society and a reminder that though they have embraced democracy, there is still much more work to be done. The film was not a box office success, but it did signify a major step forward towards freedom of expression and is considered an important film in the Korean New Wave Movement. Category:History and Influences